1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an isotonic exercise device structured to repeatedly exercise the retractor muscles and particularly the rhomboid muscles in the upper torso of a user""s body. The exercise assembly is substantially compact and portable, and when properly utilized, helps those individuals having a history of neck, shoulder or back disorders, as well as enhances the overall health and condition of the spinal column. The exercise assembly of the present invention therefore greatly facilitates a user, when following a predetermined exercise regiment, in achieving a better posture especially within the upper torso and neck region, as well as diminishing degenerative changes that normally occur in individuals with poor posture.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years there is been an ever increasing tendency for the general population to follow a healthier life style in an effort to improve a person""s general well being and also to improve ones appearance. Such an improved life style frequently incorporates a somewhat restricted, low fat diet in addition to an increased amount of physical activity in the form of exercise. Typically, an exercise regiment followed by most individuals seriously concerned with the improvement of their body includes cardiovascular type exercises as well as exercises directed to the development of specific muscles groups or areas of the body where fat deposits have collected. In order to perform the required exercises in a more efficient and convenient manner, different types of exercise devices and/or apparatus have been developed. Such equipment is typically designed to facilitate the performance of specific exercises which concentrates on predetermined areas of the body, dependent on which portion of the body or specific muscle group a person wishes to develop.
Numerous exercise assemblies of somewhat conventional design are known and commercially available and typically include springs, flexible material bands, weights and elastic resistance elements. These resistance structures are normally connected to a plurality of attachment members and/or platforms on which the user reclines or is otherwise supported or which the user engages in a predetermined, intended manner. Such known exercise assemblies are designed and structured to allow the performance of one or more exercises in a manner which hopefully provides the most benefit to the muscle grouping or body area intended to be exercised. In addition, as part of certain known or conventional exercise assemblies, the utilization of substantially large and somewhat fixed apparatus is sometimes utilized. Generally, this larger or more permanent type of apparatus usually includes some type of support platform having sufficient structural integrity to support at least a portion, if not all of the user""s weight, so as to orient the user in a position which facilitates manipulation of the resistance assembly, including resistance elements, springs, weights, etc., as set forth above.
While the conventional or known exercise equipment of the types set forth above have enjoyed a certain amount of commercial success and accordingly are generally considered to be functional for their intended purpose, there are certain recognized disadvantages associated with the use of such apparatus. Such disadvantages include, but are not necessarily limited to, the size, weight, and generally bulky nature of such equipment. Accordingly, it is well recognized that numerous types of exercise equipment are clearly incapable of being easily relocated or moved and most certainly are not considered to be portable, at least to the extent of traveling with the user between locations. By way of example, one often finds that in a motel, hotel, or like temporary residence facility, there is no spa, gymnasium or exercise equipment available to the patrons. Because of such situations the exercise equipment industry, at least to a limited extent, has recognized that a certain segment of the consuming public would prefer to utilize portable exercise equipment at certain times or in certain locations, when conventionally sized apparatus is not available. As a result, a number of relatively small, light weight xe2x80x9cbody tonersxe2x80x9d, as well as other collapsible or detachable exercise assemblies are now available to the public.
Accordingly, while the exercise equipment industry has made an effort, at least to a minimal extent, directed to the overcoming of certain disadvantages and problems well recognized in the industry, the vast majority of the exercise equipment commercially available is designed for the building or developing of certain muscle groups in order to better shape the physique or alternatively to reduce certain areas of the body such as the waist, thighs, buttocks, etc. As a result, none of the generally well known and conventionally designed and structured exercise apparatus is intended to facilitate the user in the performance of isotonic exercises, which help correct well known anatomical problems such as poor posture of the lower and upper back or disorders associated with the shoulders, neck or spinal column. Indeed, it is well established that the ability to improve posture or sustain a correct posture is fairly easily accomplished by following an exercise regiment incorporating isotonic exercises which are specifically designed to exercise the retractor muscles of the upper torso. However, even in light of this fact, there is still an absence in the exercise equipment industry of a device or apparatus designed and structured to facilitate a person easily and efficiently performing such exercises on a regular basis.
Therefore, there is a well recognized need for an isotonic exercise assembly which is sufficiently light weight and compact to be portable and therefore be easily carried by a user between different locations. In addition, such a preferred exercise assembly should also be specifically designed and structured to facilitate a user""s performance of isotonic type exercises that will help the posture of most individuals, particularly those who suffer from pronated shoulders, which are physically indicated by the shoulders of a person being rounded and extending somewhat forwardly. Such a preferred exercise assembly should also aid those individuals who have a history of neck, shoulder, or back disorders, by generally enhancing the condition of the spine. An important objective of such an improved and preferred exercise assembly would be to allow people to achieve a better posture, particularly of the upper torso and neck region, as well as significantly reduce or delay the occurrence of degenerative changes that invariably occur in a person demonstrating poor posture. In addition, this type of improved exercise assembly should be structured to have sufficient versatility to allow the user to perform the intended exercises, while being oriented in either a standing position or a sitting, substantially upright position.
The present invention is directed to an exercise assembly capable of being removably mounted on the body of a user and particularly in a supported position on the upper torso, in substantially overlying, accessible relation to the chest area. A mounting assembly is provided and includes a plurality of adjustably connected straps, defining a supporting harness. The mounting assembly is dimensioned and configured to substantially surround and be at least partially supported about the shoulders of the user, and includes a support plate secured to the harness and disposed in overlying, engaging relation to the upper chest area. The aforementioned adjustable features of the harness allows the positioning of the front support plate into a predetermined, preferred location dependent on the stature or overall configuration of the user.
The harness, and in particular the front support plate, is used to supportingly secure a base on the user""s body in a preferred, operative position. The base, includes a pair of arms movably connected thereto, wherein the base and the arms define what may be generally referred to as the operative or active portion of the exercise assembly of the present invention. More specifically, the base and movably connected pair of arms are positioned such that the arms may be repeatedly disposed between a retracted or neutral position, normally assumed by the arms when not engaged by the user, and an extended position. Selected positioning of the arms between the retracted and extended positions is accomplished by the hands of the user gripping the outer or distal ends of each arm and exerting an outwardly directed pulling force thereon which is sufficient to move the arms between the aforementioned inwardly disposed retracted position and outwardly disposed, extended position. In addition, a complete repetition of the exercise prescribed when using the exercise assembly of the present invention may also include the user maintaining the pulling force on the arms, while the arms are allowed to slowly return from the outwardly extended position to the retracted position. As will be explained in greater detail hereinafter, a complete set of exercises comprises a predetermined number of repetitions, wherein the user repeatedly forces the arms from the retracted position to the extended position and subsequently allows the arms to return from the outwardly extended position back to the retracted or neutral position. For best results, the above described exercise motion should be performed slowly, in order to exert the optimum stress on the intended retractor muscles of the upper torso and particularly the rhomboid muscles. Also, when performing the exercises in the intended manner, as described above, the upper torso of the user should be maintained in an erect position, while either standing or sitting, with the vertex of the head disposed in a superior position.
In order to provide an adequate resistance force to the user and thereby place a required or predetermined amount of stress on the intended muscle group to be exercised, the exercise assembly of the present invention also includes a tension assembly. The tension assembly may take a variety of structural embodiments, at lest some of which include a biasing assembly mounted on or connected to the base and disposed in biasing interconnection with each of the arms in a manner which normally biases the pair of arms into the aforementioned retracted position and/or provides resistance to the outwardly directed pulling force exerted on the arms by the user, when forcing the arms from the retracted position to the extended position. Furthermore, based upon the structure of the present invention, as the user grips the handles, defined at the outer or distal ends of each arm, and exerts a pulling force thereon, the arms are selectively moved in a substantially semi-circular motion. As such, when repeatedly moving the arms in the intended manner, the user must exert a sufficient force thereon to overcome a resistance force created by the tension assembly in normally biasing the pair of arms into the retracted position. Another feature of at least one embodiment of the present invention is the structuring of the tension assembly such that it can be adjusted to vary the resistance force exerted on the arms, thereby causing the user to exert either a greater or lesser force as he or she repeatedly causes movement of the arms between the retracted position and the outwardly extended position.
Yet another feature of at least one embodiment of the present invention is the ability to laterally or horizontal adjust the spacing between the arms, and more particularly between the proximal ends thereof, in order to accommodate a variety of different sizes, shape, etc. of the user. Accordingly, each of the arms may extend outwardly a variable distance from the base by means of being connected to one of two manually adjustable slide plates or like mounting structures disposed on an interior portion of the base and extendable outwardly therefrom in opposite directions. Each of the slide plates or like mounting structures is connected to a separate one of the arms, such that the arms can be independently adjusted by being extended outwardly from the base an equal distance or different distances.
As set forth above, the exercise assembly of the present invention is primarily structured to facilitate the user in performing isotonic exercises for purposes of developing the retractor muscles of the upper torso. More specifically, the isotonic exercise assembly of the present invention is intended to primarily exercise the rhomboid muscles, as well as other retractor muscle groups of the upper torso. In addition, the exercise of these predetermined muscle groups is best accomplished by the user concurrently performing a xe2x80x9cscapularxe2x80x9d movement, comprising the retracting of shoulder blades, at the same time that the pulling force is being exerted on both handles of the pair of arms, and as the arms move through the aforementioned semi-circular motion from the retracted position to the extended position. The scapular movement is more specifically defined by the user pulling the shoulder blades together to the closest point the body will allow, without causing undo discomfort or pain. This will allow the aforementioned retractor muscles to contract. This exercise, when repeatedly performed, will help the posture of most individuals and particularly those individuals who have pronated shoulders, wherein the shoulders are physically characterized by being rounded and normally assuming a forward orientation. In addition, the exercise assembly of the present invention, when properly utilized, will help those individuals having a history of neck, shoulder or back disorders, as well as enhance the overall health and condition of the spinal column. The exercise assembly of the present invention therefore greatly facilitates a user, when following a predetermined exercise regiment, in achieving a better posture especially within the upper torso and neck region, as well as diminishing degenerative changes that normally occur in individuals with poor posture.
These and other features of the present invention will become more clear when the drawings as well as the detailed description are taken into consideration.